I can get one for about $449 out here in Oregon. Are they a good shooter? Is the quality decent? Would be mostly used as a carry gun in the tractor (we have small tractors so long guns don’t work in the cab) to dispatch short range coyotes and maybe deer up to 25 yrds. It’s the 6.5” barrel model I’m looking at. Thanks
Taurus judge
- Thread starter Csinn
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With the rifled barrel you are better sticking with 45 Colt ammo versus bird shot or buck shot. Yes the Judge is useful for up close self defense ranges. I consider it a "Jack of all trades but master of none" type of revolver.
SterlingBullet
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If you have to address snakes too, the Judge could be an option. But its accuracy at 25 yards varies greatly based on the individual firearm and 45 colt ammo you use. The Judge really is more of a up-close and hallway range gun for those that need shotgun rounds but cannot run a shoulder-fired shotgun.
For what you need, any .357 revolver or 9mm semi-automatic, should address coyotes or deer up to 25 yards. If shotgun ammo is a must, perhaps a Mossberg Shockwave would fit the bill.
For what you need, any .357 revolver or 9mm semi-automatic, should address coyotes or deer up to 25 yards. If shotgun ammo is a must, perhaps a Mossberg Shockwave would fit the bill.
Roverguy
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Just get a decent 45 Colt revolver. 250 grs at 800 fps will address anything better than 3 double aught buck and you can get 45 cal shot shells if you think you will need to shoot snakes. A proper revolver will carry better, and so be carried more often. The Judge, Governor, etc., are gimmick guns.
my cousin’s first firearm was a taurus judge. he lives up a private unimproved road in a very rural, n.e. small town with only a roving state trooper for law enforcement. added to ever-present four-legged rabid or feral mammals was the rise of two-legged meth heads. he was not a gun guy and liked the judge’s versatility. his is loaded with 3x45lc and 2x410 birdshot. it wasn’t my suggestion (i.e. a used s&w or new taurus steel 38sp revolver) but the judge worked for him. it proved to be a “gateway gun” and he has since happily accumulated other firearms now, but his judge is always at hand at home and in the workshop or woods behind his house. in fact he likes the 45lc/410 combo so much that he added a bond arms derringer as backup.
Maybe I’ll just get the .38 spl I’ve got my eye on then. I thought maybe it would be a good jack of trades but from you all and from what I read it’s ok with 410 loads but not as good as a real 410 and it’s ok with 45 but not as good as a real 45.
Oninotaki
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My experience with the S&W Governor, Bond Arms Derringer, Henry Lever action, Chiappa Double Badger, Rossi Tuffy, and Rev Eternal 410 all chambered in .410 is that while the .410 shotshell is loaded in an insane amount of offerings, each platform really only performs well with a select number of them.
The Taurus Judge for instance is terrible with .410 slugs (barrel length too short to reach the velocity that makes .410 slugs perform well) and birdshot (rifling makes the pattern terrible) but good with buck shot designed for it. So while yes the Judge has the option to shoot an insane variety of loads it is only excellent with two of them as far as I can tell. The Federal Premium Buckshot (good luck finding that) and the Hornady Critical Defense.
Honestly for what you are describing you might be well serviced by a Rossi Tuffy single shot .410
It is cheap (Easily under $200) , fairly compact in size compared to standard shotguns (OAL of 31 inches), stores 8 rounds in the stock, ejects spent shells smoothly, a little under 3 lbs in weight (get a butt pad), flings .410 slugs at full speed so they hit like .357s, and is smooth bore so you could also shoot shot out of it if snakes are an issue too.
https://rossiusa.com/shotguns/tuffy-shotguns/320-ss-poly-tuffy-polymer-410bore-bk-od-green-18-in
From your initial post just about the only reason I wouldn't recommend this firearm for you is that it might be too big for the cab.However the OAL of the 6.5 inch Judge is 12.5 inches, so you are already looking at a large handgun.
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Frulk
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Taurus Judge. Buddy bought one some years back. Don’t remember the barrel length but it wasn’t the 6 inch. We played around with it one afternoon on his hobby farm. Shot a variety of ammo through it. Less than stellar accuracy. It’s a cool concept but from what I could tell would only be useful in a dark hallway.
Shooting deer from a tractor @ 25 yards would be the LAST thing I’d do with it.
Build quality seemed fine. He offered it to me at a very reasonable price. I didn’t take him up on it.
Shooting deer from a tractor @ 25 yards would be the LAST thing I’d do with it.
Build quality seemed fine. He offered it to me at a very reasonable price. I didn’t take him up on it.
gasmandave
Member
I have the public defender all steel. It's my anti carjacking device. 5 rounds of .410 PDX rounds and then hit the gas.
